Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a cosmetic applicator. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a cosmetic applicator comprising at least one projecting part off-centered relative to a longitudinal axis of the applicator. The cosmetic applicator of the present disclosure may be used for cosmetic and care applications such as on skin or on keratinous fibers in the area of mascara application, lash care, nail care, mascara removal, lip application, hair coloring and hair repair etc.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, cosmetic applicators known for applying mascara to the eyelashes include a stem, at one end of which is connected an applicator member and at the other end is provided a handle for gripping. Generally, applicators also comprise an applicator member molded with a support and teeth disposed around the support and projecting outwards from the support.
Patent application FR 2 906 115, U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,659, and international applications WO 2006/124228 and WO 2006/125122 disclose mascara applicators having teeth oriented towards the front or towards the rear of the applicator, wherein teeth are of length that is shorter than the local diameter of the support.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,393, the set of teeth extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the support.
Cosmetic applicator such as a mascara applicator deposits and distributes the product i.e. mascara all over the lashes. As mascara, inherently, is a product that is difficult to apply because of the sensitive target area of application, it is desirable that no clumping of product occurs and the lashes are separated and combed evenly. However, all the desired effects are not possible with a single mascara brush. This is because the eyelashes are soft, flexible, delicate and in close proximity to very sensitive eye tissue. Further, a user requires twisting and/or turning his/her hands in a particular manner to achieve a particular desired effect on the lashes and not all users are adapt in being able to gradually twist their wrist along with the outward stroke of application on the lashes. Continuous innovations in this area are being made to provide the user with an applicator that gives him/her a better application and makes the whole application effortless to the consumer.
Mascara brushes that rotate during application are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,111 describes a motor-driven, rotatable mascara brush. U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,326 describes a non-motorized mascara brush, the head of which is free to rotate and does so when the brush head contacts the eyelashes during application. It is the act of brushing that causes the rotation. However, the usage of these applicators is cumbersome for the user and some users find it frightening to use the battery-powered applicators.
Also, known is a mascara brush having a configuration in which bristles are clamped between two metal wires in an intersecting configuration with respect to the metal wires, and the metal wires are twisted into a spiral shape so that the bristles are fastened between the loops, is widely used as a coating implement for the application of mascara. Here, in a conventional cosmetic applicator, the lengths of the respective bristles extending radially from the metal wires are same.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-111616 discloses a cosmetic applicator in which the content liquid of mascara or the like can be amply and uniformly held in the direction of length and circumferential direction of the cosmetic applicator by applying this liquid from the central portions to the tip end portions of the respective applicator members, so that a good volume application effect can be obtained by a coating operation without any further addition of the liquid. The bristles are disposed between metal support wires so as to intersect with these wires, and the support wires are wound in a spiral configuration, so that a coating brush part is formed. In this cosmetic coating brush, the coating brush part is a part in which long brush bristles and short brush bristles are disposed alternately and symmetrically with the support wires as an axis in the cross section oriented in the axial direction of the coating brush part. In such a structure, however, depending on the disposition of the two types of rigid bristles, adhesion of the liquid may be non-uniform, so that uniform coating of the eyelashes is difficult, as a result of short brush bristles being concentrated in certain portions, and long brush members being concentrated in other portions.
If mascara is merely applied in large amounts, the painstakingly achieved attractiveness of mascara is reduced substantially. The removal of excessively adhering mascara and balls of mascara, and combing that blends the mascara into the eyelashes, influence the mascara finish. The mascara brush that is used for this finishing work is important.
There exists a need to benefit from an applicator that enables novel makeup effects to be achieved on the hair, the eyelashes, or the eyebrows, whether or not they are already coated in a composition, that is easy to use and that improves the application of the composition, the covering of the hair, the eyelashes, or the eyebrows with composition, and the lengthening, the separation and the curling thereof.